'It worked out perfect:' UNC receivers fuel Trubisky's record-setting win over JMU

The ball was still in Mitch Trubisky’s hands, but Mack Hollins knew.

Before Trubisky fired the 75-yard pass to Ryan Switzer on a flea-flicker in North Carolina’s 56-28 win over James Madison on Saturday, Hollins threw up his arms and flashed the touchdown sign.

He was right.

“He’s got to stop doing that,” Trubisky said with a smile.

The team had planned on running the flea-flicker on the previous scoring drive. The Dukes’ safeties were moving up to stop the run, so UNC (2-1) had a window to expose James Madison (2-1) with the deep ball. But the Tar Heels had to postpone their plan.

Why? Hollins started yelling, “Touchdown, touchdown,” before the play even started.

“I guess you just expect touchdowns on this offense,” Trubisky said. “So he was just calling the shot.”

Switzer wasn’t surprised by how swiftly the play turned into a touchdown, either.

“I felt like even if we would’ve just had a play action and ran a vertical route, it would’ve worked,” Switzer said.

Wide open down the field, Switzer made it an easy play for Trubisky to execute. And the confidence from Switzer and the other receivers set the tone for how the offense would play the rest of the game.

Two drives later, Hollins had his turn. He bolted down the field past his defenders and scored off a 71-yard pass from Trubisky. That play and the flea-flicker were the two longest passes of Trubisky’s career — and the offense was just getting started.

Eight touchdowns, 635 yards and an average 15.9 yards per catch. Only one scoring drive was longer than four minutes.

The Tar Heels were unstoppable.

“I knew they were going to come down with it every time I threw the ball,” Trubisky said. “So that gives me a lot of confidence.”

Trubisky played his best game yet, setting a new career high in passing yards (432) and UNC records for consecutive completions in a game (18) and consecutive pass attempts without an interception (156).

His teammates said they were seeing the same Trubisky who made big plays during practice, but his composure made this game different.

“When Mitch relaxes, he’s one of the best in the country,” Switzer said.

With the receivers consistently getting open and the offensive line providing near-perfect protection, it’s pretty easy to feel loose in the pocket.

“You get this mojo, this positive mojo, and you feel like you can make any play,” Coach Larry Fedora said.

The only time Trubisky faced notable pressure from the Dukes’ defense came in the third quarter — resulting in a 32-yard pass down the sideline to put UNC in the red zone.

The receiver who caught the pass? Running back T.J. Logan.

“That really wasn’t the play,” Logan said. “But I could see Mitch scrambling, and I had a linebacker on me. I felt like I could beat him. So I just ran up the sideline, and it worked out perfect.”

That’s what made the offense so explosive on Saturday. Each player capitalized on opportunities and minimized mistakes to create quick, consistent touchdown drives.

With the offense playing like that, how can the quarterback not be confident?

“I tell them all the time: If you want the ball, I mean, you’ve got to make plays for him,” Fedora said.

“Because guess what? If you make plays, he’s going to find you. He’s always going to find you.”

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sports@dailytarheel.com